The manufacture, transportation and storage of substantially planar articles such as those manufactured from sheet metal, plastic, glass or wood many times necessitates a cart which can be used for storage of the sheet metal, plastic glass or wooden articles as well the secure transportation of those articles between manufacturing sites or from manufacturer to customer or subcontracting user. Specifically, many carts are designated to protect paint and surface finishes of individual articles during storage and transportation and many times it is desired that, during storage and transport, the articles be placed in a vertical position.
Numerous patents are directed toward varying embodiments of such carts. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,577 discloses a modular rack and storage system for storing planar articles such as screen stencils, silk screens and the like. The rack unit includes a plurality of channels mounted in opposing pairs which serve as upper and lower guides on supports for retaining the planar article. Other patents, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,338,290 show the use of a vertical storage unit for storing things such as trays and plates. All known rack and storage units for storing workpieces or articles in the vertical position involve opposed sets of rails specifically designed to the dimensions of the article being manufactured and stored. The opposed racks separate the articles to prevent damage to the articles during storage and transportation. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,702,127, 3,199,683, and 3,349,924.
The known art, however has a specific deficiency when faced with the necessity of manufacturing and storing articles of various shapes, sizes and dimensions.
Thus, there is a need for a storage and transportation cart that is adaptable to store and transport multiple parts in one cart.
There is also a need for a storage and transportation cart that securely holds multiple parts vertically in place from side to side and securely locks the parts in place for transportation.
There is a further need for a storage and transportation cart which is adaptable to be used as a refillable or recyclable cart capable of adapting to varying sizes of workpieces and articles.